This invention relates to reel devices for electrical cords, and more particularly, to reel devices designed for use with electric-powered lawnmowers.
When operating a lawn mower of the electrically powered type, the machine needs to be connected by an electrical cord to a remote plug-in location where electrical power is generated. This means that the electrical cord lays across the lawn to be mowed by the lawn mower. There is therefore the constant hassle of having to clear the way ahead of the machine, otherwise the electrical cord may be accidentally cut by the lawn mower high speed rotating blade. An operator always need to be careful in this regard. The handling of the electrical cord, during lawn mowing operation as well as before and after use, is therefore an inefficiency in operation of the electric lawnmower.
It is believed that improvements are needed in this area.
The gist of the present invention is to further improve upon manually operable take-up reel for electrical cords, which is easily and detachably mounted on new or pre-existing lawn mowers.
In accordance with the object of the invention, there is disclosed a reel support for use in releasably supporting a reel member against a lawnmower planar handle, said reel support comprising:xe2x80x94a rigid support main frame, for rotatable engagement with the reel member;xe2x80x94a generally planar anchor bar member having attachment members, for anchoring said anchor member to the lawnmower handle substantially coplanar thereto; andxe2x80x94wedge means, frictionally yet releasably interlocking said support main frame and said anchor bar member for rotation of the reel member along a plane generally parallel to the plane of said anchor bar member.
Said support main frame could consist of a polygonal panel, said wedge means including a bevelled cavity made into said anchor bar member and a pair of invaginated concavities made along opposite edge portions of said polygonal panel, said concavities complementarily shaped to said bevelled cavity for releasable frictional wedge interaction therewith. Said support main frame could consist of a flat polygonal panel, and including an aperture, made into an upper edge portion of said panel for hand engagement of said aperture for facilitating handling of said panel. A hook cavity could be made into said aperture of said panel, said hook cavity for frictionally receiving the end portion of the electric cord when winded fully inside the reel and not in use.
The invention also relates to the combination of a reel member for winding an electrical extension cord, a reel support for releasably supporting said reel member against a lawnmower planar handle, mounting means rotatively mounting said reel member to said reel support,xe2x80x94a generally planar anchor bar member having attachment members, for anchoring said anchor member to the lawnmower handle substantially coplanar thereto; andxe2x80x94wedge means, frictionally yet releasably interlocking said support main frame and said anchor bar member, wherein said reel member rotates along an axis generally orthogonal to a plane along which extends said anchor bar member.
In this latter invention, said support main frame could consist of a polygonal panel, said wedge means including a bevelled cavity made into said anchor bar member and a pair of invaginated concavities made along opposite edge portions of said polygonal panel, said concavities complementarily shaped to said bevelled cavity for releasable frictional wedge interaction therewith. Said mounting means could include a tubular hollow shaft, integral to said reel member, and a tubular socket integral to said panel, said socket releasably engaged into said hollow socket, each of said socket and hollow shaft being preferably cylindrical and defining a first outer end and a second outer end respectively, both said first outer end and said second outer end coming in register with one another; and further including a closure cap, rotatably releasably interengaging said first outer end and said second outer end to prevent accidental release of said reel member from said socket. At least one electrical cord guide member could transversely project freely from said panel. Said reel member could include a pair of inner wheel member and outer wheel member laterally spaced from one another and radially projecting from opposite ends of said hollow shaft integrally thereof, at least one cord retaining hook member transversely projecting from said outer wheel member, said hook member for releasably retaining a portion of the electrical extension cord.
The invention also relates to an electric-powered lawnmower per se, having a manoeuvering planar handle, a reel member having a hollow shaft and a pair of integral spaced apart spokes for winding an electrical extension cord therebetween, a reel support polygonal panel having a transverse socket engaging said hollow shaft wherein said shaft is freely rotatable within said socket, said panel defining two opposite side edge portions forming registering concave cavities;xe2x80x94a generally planar anchor bar member having attachment members, anchoring said anchor member to said lawnmower planar handle generally coplanar thereto, and a dovetail cavity frictionally wedgingly yet releasably receiving said panel concave cavities; wherein said reel member socket defines a rotational axis generally orthogonal to the plane of said planar handle.